


Wedded Souls

by dxrkblaze



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Pirate AU, SIlvaze, silver is kinda ooc to fit the bill but believe me he's still a dork
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-10-08 10:59:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17385212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dxrkblaze/pseuds/dxrkblaze
Summary: This is a collection of one-shots set in a universe where Silver is a cunning pirate, and Blaze is the princess of Sol. The one-shots are not in chronological order, so they jump all around the true "story". From adventures to heartfelt conversations, each installment deals with issues of trust and class, as those are the roots of the story I'm trying to tell.





	1. Wedded Souls

"I couldn't say, Princess." Silver spoke with a diffusing calmness, indicative of the nature of the night. Perched high up in the castle wall, he looked beyond the balcony railing outside the princess's chamber, and far into the ever-lively city that the kingdom resided over. With the same view, he could also see the stars stretching the plane of the sky; with a simple flick of his eyes, he could peer into infinity, and though he had no answer, he could pursue as he always had before. He leaned back in his chair. "Perhaps it's just that those who seek offense also don't wish to seek for long."

Princess Blaze, on the other hand, adorned with royal robes and tired eyes, gazed out and saw only the lights from the town. Her mind moved with them, connecting them into patterns she had seen hundreds of times over. She wrung her tail in her hands, and bit her lip before speaking. "Perhaps pleasing everyone just isn't for me. They want so much, so much that I can't keep track of it all anymore. And there's no pleasing them - I've been yelled at more times than I can count in the past month! They want me to practice with fire, practice with swords, go to royal meetings, meet with other nobles, act like I like them so I don't start a war," she paused as Silver chuckled. "it's true! Parade around the town, take dancing lessons for the ball - oops, we forgot you need to provide input for the defense plans. Sometimes I just want to lay in bed because of it all. It's even worse now that they're finding suitors for me! They suddenly want me to be queen now. To be queen, you have to marry, but it has to be a noble. I'm not even sure I want to marry at all at this point! They're forcing all this responsibility on me, and they won't even let me decide who my partner will be!" Blaze raised her voice for the last few statements, and then relaxed her crimson face as she took a few breaths. She sat back in her chair, and placed her head on her fist. "It isn't right."

Silver twiddled the feather on his cap, and wrinkled his mouth. "Perhaps they don't trust you?"

"Of course they don't."

"Well, you say they won't let you decide who you wed, which means they won't let you choose anyone as the next King of Sol. That's not so far-fetched when put that way, is it?"

"But it's the one I'm going to spend my life with!"

Silver smirked into the chest fluff poking out from beneath his coat. "Princess, I feel that what troubles you is deeper."

Blaze rolled her eyes. "Please, elaborate."

"You don't want to marry another noble because you're sick of this life." Silver took the silence that followed as a signal to continue. "You wish to rid yourself of your royal shackles, my dear. Marrying another noble would simply eternalize your slavery."

"You're mad,"

Silver waved his hand. "Allow me to paint a scenario for you, Princess. A peasant is brought into the kingdom as a heretic for stealing from Sol - albeit to provide food for his family. He's kept in the castle to be hanged, but then escapes and woos you so that you let him walk free. You keep in touch with him in secret, and when the time is right, you marry him-"

Blaze flashed her fangs. "Are you truly so arrogant that you'd speak of yourself?"

"Princess, please. This is but a theory. My point is, should you marry that man, your judgements of him no longer matter. To everyone else in the kingdom, you've made a peasant and a criminal the King of Sol."

The cat released a sigh. "You're not wrong."

Silver's lips curled upward for a moment, and he set his gaze upon Blaze's lilac fur, made restlessly alluring by the light of the moon. "Would you marry me, Princess?"

Blaze's mind shuffled through a myriad of emotions after that question, to which she could only respond by clenching her fists. She turned away, again toward the town below, as her blood boiled up to her muzzle. She growled, but Silver laughed at this, and stood to lean against the stone railing. "Ah, don't hurt yourself, Princess. Though I love you deeply, I am wedded to the sea. I'm not fit for king, nor is this palace fit for me." His golden eyes scanned the horizon as if they were searching for home. He spat over the edge, and watched with interest as his saliva plummeted several stories to land in a shrub. "Perhaps I was foolish to ever dream of it..."

"You what?"

Silver snapped his head to her, fixing his cap with a grin. "Nothing, my dear," he motioned her to her feet, "come, listen, do you hear the music in the distance?" Blaze showed reluctance in her expression as she moved closer to him. Her ear flickered as she tuned into the muffled noise coming from the town, the rhythm of which could only be inferred. Her brow raised as Silver held his hand out. "You said you were taking dance lessons. Why don't you teach me something?"

The fire-cat acquiesced with a smile, sliding her hand into his. Chest-to-chest, they swayed with the distant melody, gazes in a deadlock as they tried to decipher each other's motives. "Tell me, Silver," Blaze began as she grew tired of their game, "you've escaped death here. You could do anything you want. If you wish not to become king, why do you choose to come back here? What is it you want from me?"

"I want you to come sail with me, my love." The hedgehog's voice was sympathetic yet stern. "Quit this cruel life in favor of one filled with adventure. Journey with me, and I will show you places you couldn't even dream of."

"And likely get me killed along the way."

"I have never lost a crew member but to age," Silver ran his hand along her waist before twirling a finger around the base of her tail. "I would never let anything happen to you, my dear."

Blaze moved his hand back to her hip. "I wish not to lead an immoral life."

Silver smirked once more. "Not immoral, simply... practical."

The feline locked her hands around the back of Silver's neck. "I could never leave my kingdom."

"They adore you," Silver remarked, nodding toward the town. He slid his hands down her back. "as do I."

They continued to sway for some time, even after the distant rhythm changed. Blaze rested her head on Silver's chest, and was surprised to find his touch so comforting. He placed his chin between her ears, and spoke into one with a soft whisper, "Princess, might I ask you something?" Once they locked eyes again, Silver raised his voice. "When you caught me just as I escaped, you could've had guards chase me down. You could've had me executed then and there - you were angered enough at the time. Truly, that might be the closest to death I've ever come. Why did you let me go?"

Blaze sighed, for she knew the answer - she had thought of it long before. "Because I saw something in your eyes that reminded me of myself."

"And that was?"

"A longing for freedom."

They paused, and as their stares grew more intense, they leaned closer to one another. Silver wrapped a hand around Blaze's head, and just as their noses touched, a knock sounded from inside. They pulled away, and diverted their eyes to Blaze's chamber, which was then filling with light from the doorway. She then looked back to Silver, who already had one leg over the edge of her balcony.

"Another time, my love," he promised, blowing her a kiss before disappearing into the night. The vines leading up the castle wall rustled below, and they were again two souls wed to their lives. The feline was once more struck with a feeling of anger, but swallowed her emotion to walk inside and greet her visitor. Though their love was mutual, they knew they could never be; the princess would return to her duties, and the pirate to his sea.


	2. Taken Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver arrives at Sol to the scenes of an attack on the palace; he must convince the princess to escape with him and the precious Sol Emeralds.

Silver rushed through the forest leading to the Sol Kingdom's palace, kicking up grasses behind him with each stride forward. He held fast to his cap, looking every which way with frantic eyes, licking his lips chapped by dehydrating panic; he wasn't used to this feeling. The kingdom was under attack - the life of his beloved princess was in jeopardy, without a doubt - and Silver never knew anything of it. Normally, being as open-eared as he was around the area, he might have been able to get word of the attack before they arrived. He scolded himself each time that thought raced to the front of his conscience, for surely he could have prevented the situation had he remained alert.

It was the Cryokinetics, surely, Silver thought to himself. He knew of their plans to snatch the Sol Emeralds in the past; for many decades they had laid dormant in their attempts, feigning a desire for peace to recruit an army in the meantime. It was only earlier that year that Silver had stolen the Cryos' plans for their original invasion. He was able to alert the princess, and Sol thwarted the attack before the enemy ever set foot on land. All the pride that had brought Silver was being diminished by the second.

Through the passing spaces between trees, Silver soon found the despicable silhouette of fighting in the distance. Far too near in the distance for his liking, actually - one of the invading phalanxes had already moved to the palace's facade. The pirate cursed beneath his breath, and gained a subconscious burst of acceleration once Blaze's balcony was in his sights. It was as if all his nightmares had decided to rear their wretched heads on Sol's shores.

After leaping over the shrubbery lining the foundation of the palace, Silver scaled the vines leading up to the princess's balcony with an intensity he had never before employed. He moved as if he were under the eye of an archer - and perhaps he was, he thought - that would be the most typical of deaths. Sweat was pouring past his eyes, down his muzzle and neck, saturating the frills of his coat and the fur beneath it. For a moment, he believed that the princess would be forced to tend to him once he reached her chambers. He also possessed enough self-awareness to laugh at such irony.

In a perfect world, Silver expected to find Princess Blaze immediately - surely she would be perched behind her window, gazing out with a somber contour to her lips as the Cryos' siege crept closer. He would be able to comfort her before speaking of his plan, and that would soften her to the idea of it. On the contrary, of course, she was nowhere to be found, and Silver had to venture into the hallways to stand any chance of escaping with her.

"Princess!" Silver whispered sharply, scuttering along the carpet so that his boots wouldn't alert anyone. He peered around each corner he came to, fearing the inevitability that he would be mistaken for an intruder, or some senseless notion. He raised his voice as his search dragged on, leading him to duck behind tables and chairs whenever paranoia played its tricks.

Silver soon found himself on one of the grand hallways, weaving behind columns that overlooked the barren dining hall several stories below. There was simply nothing to hide from. He seated himself to catch his breath, and after he had done so without any disturbance, he decided that the residence portion of the palace was empty. Still, he checked the handle of the cutlass at his belt, and looked down either side of the hall before venturing to one of the tall windows before him. He winced at the faint clashing of swords and shields; Sol was never a kingdom built for war. Powerful, it was, but only for the peace it stood for. There were no battlements, no gatehouse, nothing separating it from the people it resided over. Even a mere pirate could roam its interior in a time of such crisis. The town, only a few hundred meters away, was being ransacked - by nightfall it would be reduced to a pile of dust. More painful clanging of metal against metal rang out through the air.

Silver checked the leverage he had on his weapon once more. An oddity, since he was a sworn pacifist; for as many immoral deeds as he had inked to his resume, he only ever stole. A robber he was, but never a murderer. Often times, his theft had merely been to provide for his crew, anyway. Silver had his way through his words, not his sword. He had a certain way of speaking - a honeyed, high-pitched, sensual voice that could manipulate even a deity. One would think he had, given all the times he had escaped death. But never had he cut life with his weapon. He simply assumed that would have to change, if he were to escape with the princess alive.

Perhaps the princess had already evacuated, or had fallen back to the barracks - no. Silver's hopes deceived him not. Blaze was more likely to be outside fighting alongside her people than on a ship sailing elsewhere. That thought was troubling enough to force him back to his search, and down another adjacent path.

Silver passed another corner, and his heart leaped to his throat when he heard a footstep behind him. Before he could even flinch, an arm wrapped tight around his head, exposing his neck to the cool edge of a blade. His shock was paralyzing, though he was only in danger for a moment - he knew that boiling touch on his cheek.

"Princess!" Silver's cap slid off his head, exposing his eccentric quills. "My, how glad I am to see you!"

Blaze retracted her smallsword. Her brow was as sharp as her tone. "What business have you in here?"

"Oh, I thought I'd stop for tea." Silver retrieved his headwear, grabbed Blaze's hand, and tried to pull her in the direction from which he came. "What business have you alone?"

She submitted a few steps toward him before standing her ground. "They wouldn't let me fight. Everyone is either outside or guarding the entrances."

"Well, they overlooked your balcony."

"Enough! Unhand me!"

"Where are the emeralds?"

Blaze tugged on the strap of her haversack. "With me."

"Excellent! Forward thinking! So we can leave?"

"No!" Blaze asserted, throwing Silver's hand down.

"Princess, I beg of you-"

"Out of the question!" she intervened, walking back to her post. "I will never abandon my people. The only way the emeralds are leaving Sol is if they're stained with my blood."

Silver bounced in front of her, eyes fixed on the end of the hall. "Princess, listen to me, I've docked at the kingdom's rear-"

Blaze crossed her arms, and turned her head in disgust. "And what importance does that hold now? I have no time for your crude innuendos."

"My ship is behind the palace! We're outnumbered, but we're not surrounded. We can escape!"

"Are you dense? I've told you no!"

"Princess, I admire your bravery," Silver admitted, resting his hands on her shoulders, "and your loyalty to your people is unquestioned. But if those emeralds are stolen, you won't have anything left to be loyal to! You can't fend off an entire army!"

"I can die trying."

"We don't have much time! Princess, look at me." The albino slouched into her line of sight, and his voice shook as he held her gaze. "It's difficult to think now, I know, but you must trust me. You don't understand how badly I need you. If anything happened to you, I could never go on." He pointed behind her. "They could never go on. You know this. Live to fight another day, my love, I beg you. Come with me."

Blaze hesitated, kneading the rough, worn leather of her sword's hilt, but found herself submitting to his touch. She did trust Silver. She had accepted that long ago. He had done nothing but support her from the time she released him as a prisoner. There was always a smug curvature to his face when he played false cards; Blaze had noticed this. No such expression held her attention now. She inhaled deeply, and nodded at his sincerity, allowing him to lead her away.

The couple hadn't made twenty paces before they were stopped in their tracks. A heavy stampede of footsteps echoed through a nearby corridor, and it was a moment later that a group of four Cryo infantry appeared at the end of the hallway, fully armed with axes and shields.

"That must be the princess!" one of the soldiers exclaimed, lifting his fingerless gauntlet toward Blaze.

Silver froze, the black stripes at the edges of his eyes stretched by shock. The soldiers started toward them, their shouts bouncing in the wide space between the walls. This only further tensed Silver's muscles; Blaze was forced to grab hold of his cape, and pull him away so that he would move. The pirate struggled to find his feet, but rushed ahead of Blaze at her command. The Cryos raised their hands, and shot shards of ice from their fingertips.

Blaze backpedaled, and disposed of each projectile with a wave of flames from her free palm. She threw a few balls of fire at the Cryos, but they could only fizzle out upon contact with their shields. Her bag beat against her hip with each stride she took until she was level with Silver again. She pulled him around a corner, where they continued their retreat down another corridor. Mahogany doors flew by them on either side. Fine, lively spearheads of ice fizzed past their arms and necks. The princess reached behind her to create a wall of fire, supposedly to grant a moment's worth of thought, though she set the carpet as well as her tail ablaze in the act. She winced in pain, and flicked her tail in front of her so that she could swipe the flames away.

Silver chuckled between his short breaths. "Perhaps your rear is-"

"Do you ever tire?" Blaze spat, as she flung more fireballs at their pursuers. A glance over her shoulder revealed that her wall of flames had provided little resistance. She sped ahead, and grabbed Silver's hand to encourage his pace. The pirate stumbled, and nearly lost his cap, let alone his life. They weaved around several corners before resting against one of the violet walls, just beneath a grand portrait.

Blaze peered back, and laid her hand on Silver's shoulder, circling her thumb to feel the soothing velvet of his coat. She slowed her breathing. "Now, it is your turn to trust me," the princess asserted. Silver tilted his head with skepticism, but listened to her plan with intent, as he always would.

When the four Cryos appeared again, they were greeted by the sight of Silver standing alone in the middle of the hall, his backside facing them. The albino flashed a smug grin, and flicked two fingers in a v-shape at the soldiers before shaking his tail. The infantry dashed toward the obscene gesture, forcing Silver to evade as they unleashed a barrage of ice in his direction. Blaze appeared behind them just as they did so.

With one swing of her sword, Blaze knocked two of the enemies off their feet. With a thrust, she pierced one's shoulder. With the utmost grace, she leapt to the man's chest, kicked him off the end of her weapon, and landed behind the remaining Cryo before he could ever react. She held her palm out, and forged an intense flare between his legs, burning anything that was unarmored beneath his tasset. Blaze judged that to be more than he would have liked, given his reaction: a frantic skip back toward the grand hall.

The two unwounded Cryos attempted to grab Blaze, but she wormed away from their grasps with ease. She struck one soldier's helmet with the heel of her boot, and only just dodged the other's axe. The princess disarmed him as a response, slicing his exposed fingers with her smallsword, curling him to the floor with a scream. Blood spattered over the carpet, and its metallic scent filled the princess with rage. She placed her hand over the face of the last Cryo standing, and unleashed a fire befitting of the sun itself. Only the sight of Silver, who was sat up against the wall clutching his shoulder, interrupted the feline's excessive punishment for the invaders.

Blaze rushed over to Silver, and dropped her weapon beside him. He laughed through his grimace, assuring her that he was still in good spirits. A small circle of crimson was seeping through his coat at his shoulder blade; the projectile of ice had already melted. Blaze fingered at the wound for a moment, and tore away the furred portion of her cuff to clean it. She smiled at him.

"Could the princess spare a kiss, for the pirate's bravery?" Silver curled his lips.

"As if the princess hadn't just slain the enemies," remarked Blaze. She helped Silver to his feet.

Just then, the floors quaked as another stampede sounded through the palace, far more turbulent than the last. This prompted the couple to skitter away, and they were able to navigate to Blaze's chambers. Shouts and crashes echoed through the princess's vast home. Sol's forces had been broken, she thought. Every rumble of the walls, every booming voice, every thunderous second nailed that idea further into her soul. It had happened. She was part of the reason it was able to happen. Blaze could hardly see through her tears as she climbed over her balcony after Silver.

The princess was numb until her boots hit the ground outside. Even then, she stumbled forward at Silver's plea, reaching for her sword that she had left inside among all the commotion. For the first time in her memory, she felt powerless. Fire alone couldn't save her world. Her mind raced from regret to acceptance and back again, stomping over any emotion disgraceful enough in between. Had she stayed back and fought, she would have perished. She knew this, yet couldn't cleanse herself of shame.

Perhaps death wouldn't have helped in that endeavor, anyway. Blaze kept her eyes forward, focusing on the forest of palm trees ahead as they approached her. She turned her hand over the smooth suede of her bag. Perhaps death was never necessary.

Blaze snapped out of her musing when she and Silver were spotted from a distance by a few Cryo knights on horseback, who ordered them to halt. The first one to them dismounted, and immediately identified the princess with a stark confidence. Blaze's stomach sank - surely now she would not only die a brutal death, but one of a coward as well. She turned to blame Silver for this, and was shocked to find him laughing.

"My gods," Silver began, glancing over the knights without a trace of trepidation, "what flattery to be mistaken for royalty! Are both of our costumes so convincing, or is it only my partner?"

Blaze glanced down. Perhaps such duplicity would have been more convincing if she had her cloak - she sported a frilled blouse and tights, hardly befitting of an exaggerated royal get-up. The remainder of the knights dismounted, and pointed their swords at the couple, clearly unmoved by the pirate's words.

Still, Silver pursued with his game. "Gentlemen, please, we are but actors from the local theater! We have no hand in this fight. We will leave you to your business." He turned to walk away.

One of the knights advanced, poking Silver's neck with the tip of his sword. A harsh voice rushed through the slits of his helmet. "Our king will be the judge of that."

Another weapon was thrust close to the princess, and Silver rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course, I'm sure his Majesty will be thrilled by the capture of two peasants." His eyes shifted to Blaze. "How laughable it will be, when you return home under the claim you've arrested the princess, and you present to your king a man in make-up instead. I'll make plans to attend your execution."

Blaze shot daggers at Silver, but realized his cruelty was part of the show. She spoke not, for she knew her voice would ruin the illusion, and nodded at the knights. The most vocal of them lifted his visor, and squinted at the princess's frame, taking note of her attire as well as her flat chest. Blaze stared into his eyes with defiance until he was finally convinced. All the knights remounted, and turned back toward the palace with a cry. Blaze touched the bag at her side again, relieved to feel the emeralds inside it, and was pulled by Silver back to their escape route. She followed him in silence as they hurried along toward the setting sun.

Silver's ship was in their sights. Sand shifted around their boots. They had escaped disaster. Blaze was greeted with bows and embraces from Silver's crew, and as soon as she was settled in the ship, the anchor was hoisted. They were safe from the violence, and the wind was in their favor. It was only the princess and the captain who did not celebrate; the couple stood solemnly at the stern, gazes fixed on the palace as the madness became darker in the distance. Blaze placed her hand over her bag once more.

"I am sorry, princess," Silver admitted, "I wish I would've gotten here sooner." She gave him no response, and he was certain why. "Oh, princess, please forgive me. Surely you know that you're the fairest woman I've ever laid eyes on." He ran his hand along her side before sliding it up to her chest. "It was but a ploy to save our heads."

"That does not trouble me." Blaze lied, but for once she was grateful for Silver's deceitful nature. She removed his hand from her breast, but didn't let go of it. She leaned backward. "How is your wound?"

"Do not worry for my health, princess."

"You seem to be more loyal than many of my knights."

"Perhaps I could prove as such, and take you with me forever?"

"Let us not dream of the ideal," replied the feline, her gaze shifting across the muted horizon, "it withers the soul."

Silver leaned his head against Blaze's, and chirped at her warmth. "Aye, my love, but life is far too short to live fearing the worst. May we return to a kingdom strengthened by adversity. In any event, the emeralds are in the hands of their rightful owner." He pressed his lips to her muzzle. "And she is safe with me."

"Thank you, Silver." Blaze lowered her eyes at a realization, and tightened her grip between his fingers. "I don't believe I could do without you, either."


	3. The Lost Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blaze learns more about Silver's past, enough to put their mutual trust to the test.

"How do you expect me to believe you?" Blaze leaned her head back, as if she was speaking to the rolling sky. Her head swayed with the motion of the ship, her ears more tuned to the ocean waves than a potential response. She had no clue where the ship was taking her, Silver, or his crew, and it was only then that she began to care.

Silver, whom she was speaking to, immediately stopped his needlework. He laid Blaze's limp dress in his lap, pretending to inspect his stitches for any imperfections in lieu of looking Blaze's way. "Believe what, Princess?"

Blaze thought for a moment. With how deeply she had explored her feelings, she expected the words to flow out of her mouth, but this wasn't the case. She clasped her hands together over the loose shirt Silver had given her. "You say you love me more than anyone in the world," Blaze began, "but you're a nomad, Silver - constantly moving. You travel. You meet others. You love. I'm sure hundreds of women have been through your chamber doors on this very ship-"

"Closer to thousands," Pipe, one of Silver's top crew members, mundanely added as he walked by. Silver laughed through his nerves.

Blaze gave a weak smile. "My point exactly. I don't understand what makes me any different. Is it because I'm Princess, soon to be Queen? Do the riches entice you more than my body?"

"Oh, Princess," Silver looked to the ocean, "if I desired your coin, I would've had it by now. In fact, with how often I've been in and out of your kingdom, I might hold half of Sol's economy if I had the ambition." The pirate stood from his seat, and laid the dress in his place. "I understand your skepticism, my dear. What you say is true. I've loved many women, some men as well. And during my time with them, I gave each my all. But I was always aware that my time with them would be short, temporary."

Pipe raised his scratchy voice as he passed by once again. "About a minute each," he smirked.

"The Princess can attest to the contrary!" Silver shot back, his face flushed. The pirate brushed the frills of his shirt to calm himself. "My apologies, Princess, for I cannot explain myself in the way you wish. Feelings confuse me, so I tend to act on them more than I think about them. I only know that I long for your company more than your body. I long for your company more than I long for freedom - I've finally admitted it. I wish to be with you, my dear. Forever, perhaps. I've only ever felt this way about one other lover in my life," Silver paused, feeling that he had revealed too much in his monologue.

Blaze sat up, intent on probing the pirate's conscience. "Tell me about her."

Silver's eyes widened, and he gripped the side of the ship, feeling as though he might vomit into the sea below. "What?" he asked innocently.

"Or him, whichever it was," Blaze added. "I'm surprised you would admit to such."

Silver rubbed the back of his head, and tried to regain his composure. Soon, Blaze took the spot next to him, tilting her head to steal a look at his face. The pirate sighed, and finally croaked, "Her name was Lola."

The princess waited for Silver to continue, but he merely stared at the passing ripples of water. Blaze spoke up after some time. "I was hoping to learn more than a name," she said.

Silver attempted to laugh, but it was clear that he was shaken by his thoughts. "My apologies, Princess. It is difficult to revisit those memories," the pirate took a deep breath, and rested his elbows on the ship's edge. "Lola was a performer - a dancer specifically. She held shows at a large city I used to visit often, but she was well-known across the land. Patrons from all over the world would flock to see her each weekend. Friday, Saturday, Sunday - a different theme each night, and every show was spectacular. Lola seemed to have a new dance every week, and she was always captivating to watch. So much so that, each week, I would stay the entire weekend to watch her perform."

"What were the shows like?" Blaze quizzed.

"Oh, electric. The crowd hinged on every movement she made. Her shows would always end with her famous trademark dance - I can't recall its name at the moment - but even though everyone knew the steps, they cheered and clapped along as if it were completely new. She was like a mystery, with those long frilled dresses she always wore. Any time she would reveal fur, the men would howl and holler, throw coin her way, lift her skirt to try and steal a glance-"

"Oh," Blaze interrupted, rolling her eyes, "perhaps I should've known why you attended."

The princess anticipated a laugh or a playful rebuttal, but it never came. Instead, when she turned her head, she found two daggers staring back at her. Silver took a step back; anger and disbelief contoured his face. For once, the pirate had no words. He merely sighed as he walked off, softly picking up Blaze's unfinished dress as he moved toward his chamber.

Blaze was paralyzed by shock. She had never seen Silver genuinely upset, but it appeared she had struck a nerve. That thought alone sank her stomach to the floor. It was true; she cared deeply for Silver, and never would she have malicious intent toward him. Yet, she had surely hurt him. The princess felt an overwhelming wave of guilt course through her body, and it finally sprang her to action. She caught up to the pirate as he was starting down the narrow hallway to his bed.

"Silver," Blaze called timidly, "I didn't mean any harm, please forgive me."

The albino stopped, but didn't turn around. He looked to the floor, grasping Blaze's dress tighter. "Princess," Silver croaked, nearly choking on his words, "am I nothing more than a filthy pirate to you?"

Blaze felt her lip quiver. "Silver,"

"Lola was a beautiful woman. However, she had a hidden quality that drew me to her shows - not a good one. She loved her craft, but hated the attention that came with it. The majority of the city - and the country, for that matter - thought exactly as you did, Princess. They called her a whore, a disgrace to women, a stain on society. Those words ate her very soul."

"I didn't mean-"

Silver finally turned around, revealing his tear-stained muzzle. He was choking on his words. "She only wanted to dance, my dear; can't you understand that? It's quite alright if you can't; nobody else could. After shows, Lola would cry for hours. She critiqued herself so harshly; if she missed a step, it was a hundred lashes to her wrist. She practiced for hours upon hours every single day. She was incredibly dedicated to her craft, and yet to others, she was just a whore who liked to show fur. Don't you understand how debilitating that was to her?"

Blaze's eyes were wide, her body frozen. She could only nod.

Silver continued his story, slowly walking toward the princess. "I thought I could change all of that. I thought Lola needed love. I thought my love was the key to her happiness, as if it were simply locked behind a door, waiting to be found." Silver looked to the side for a moment, wiping another tear from the corner of his eye. His stare was burning a hole in Blaze's heart. "And for a while, I felt like I succeeded. Every day, I told her how magnificent she was. I told her how much I loved her, and how that love was so deserved. The crew and I worked so hard to destroy newspapers that slandered her, especially around town. I was so madly in love with her; I wanted her to see herself the way I did."

Blaze turned away, as she was certain how the tale would end. Silver swallowed hard, and backed into the wall to rest against it. He removed his cap, and ran a hand over his quills. "I still have her last letter," he admitted, "she addressed it to me, she wrote, because I was the only soul who tried to help her. The pain that brings me knows no bounds, for Lola was a beautiful soul the world couldn't afford to lose." The pirate paused, replaced his cap, and followed the floor with his eyes until they met Blaze's feet. "So tell me, my dear, why do you think I attended her shows?"

The princess squinted to keep her tears from falling, but it was a futile attempt. She ran to Silver, and buried her face in the shoulder of his soft coat. She wasn't sure that he had forgiven her until he rested his hand on the back of her head. "Princess, allow me to ask you this," Silver began, "what have I done to deserve your disbelief?"

Several moments passed with no answer.

"Certainly, I could understand your skepticism when we first met. But now, what is it that you desire from me, dearest Princess? I cannot make myself any more plain. I feel for you the same I felt for Lola, and there has never been another beside the two. Is it because I am deceitful in my trade?" Silver pushed off the wall, and lifted Blaze's chin to make eye contact. "How is that any different from a noble?"

The feline's eyes trailed off, and she nervously grasped her tail. "I'm not sure what you mean,"

"Princess," Silver pursued, "you cannot tell me you, or the council of Sol, do not have secrets you keep close. You barricade yourself from the people you are sworn to protect, my dear. You know not of their struggles, you merely pretend. I, as a pirate, also pretend. There is nothing wrong with that, now is there?"

"I-"

"And what excuse do nobles give?" Silver interrupted, maintaining his soft voice in order to avoid hostility. "To maintain order in your kingdom? Well, Princess," the pirate gestured to the woodwork all around him, and smiled. "this is my kingdom! It is all I know. I do what I must to survive, just as you do, and that will never change. I was simply not birthed from a Queen."

Blaze sighed, taking her time to internalize the pirate's words. "You're very bright, Silver. Truly, it is why I love you."

"Aye, but how can I be expected to believe you, my dear?" Silver asked, allowing a devilish grin to creep across his muzzle.

The pirate puckered his lips, and Blaze rolled her eyes, feeling as if she had been ensnared. However, she took Silver's recently opened soul as a sign of the contrary. She slammed her hands on Silver's shoulder pads, and lunged at him for a passionate kiss. Perhaps one longer than she expected, in fact. They had barely parted when Silver threw the dress over his shoulder, and picked the princess up bridal-style.

"Beautiful Blaze the Cat, Princess of Sol," Silver offered through his smile, "do I hold your trust?"

The princess placed a gentle hand on the pirate's muzzle. "As long as I hold yours."

Silver brushed his lips against Blaze's forehead, and whispered a sweet affirmation in her ear. With great haste, he twirled her down the hallway, laughing and singing as if no altercation had occurred at all. The door to Silver's chamber was flung open, and shut just as quickly. Once the couple was inside, no past dialogue mattered anyway - for such is life, for better or worse.


End file.
